Showdown
by SoundEffectsAndOverdramatics-x
Summary: The curse has been lifted. Magic is returned to Storybrooke. But when Henry realizes that magic only means trouble for the entire world where Rumpelstiltskin is involved, Emma and Regina band together to stop him. Henry/Regina. Don't own OUAT! R&R!


**The curse has been lifted. Magic is returned to Storybrooke. But when Henry realizes that magic only means trouble for the entire world where Rumpelstiltskin is involved, Emma and Regina band together to stop him...and Henry finally comes to the realization that Regina's love for him can turn even the darkest places light. Don't own OUAT. Regina/Henry. R&R! Oneshot!  
**

* * *

Emma woke with a start, her heart racing.

Everyone in the hospital had collapsed, splayed out on the floor.

There was no purple smoke, though.

She had a feeling that wasn't a good thing, though.

She immediately looked around and found Henry on the floor three steps away from her.

"Henry!" She crawled over to him and shook him lightly. He opened his eyes blearily and looked at her.

"Emma?"

"Hey, kid! You okay?" She helped him sit up and he groaned.

"Yeah. What happened?"

"I don't know! A purple cloud took over the entire town and then I woke up on the floor!" Emma said, looking outside. Henry frowned.

"Purple cloud? What does that-" He paled and Emma looked at him in shock.

"What?" She exclaimed.

"Do you think he brought magic to Storybrooke?" Henry whispered.

"Who?"

"Rumpelstiltskin! All he wants his power! Can you imagine how much of it he would have if he brought magic to the real world?" Henry groaned, getting up and running to the door.

"Henry, wait! What are you trying to say?" Emma whispered, grabbing his arm.

"I'm saying that Rumpelstiltskin is gonna use magic to take over Storybrooke and eventually, the world!" Henry said, shoving the door open. People on the floor around them began waking up and Emma wanted to stay behind and help them.

"Come on!" Henry called. Emma sighed and chased after him, her heart racing.

"You seriously think this is what Gold-I mean, Rumpelstiltskin wants? To take over the world?"

"He's a power hungry imp, Emma! Can you imagine how powerful he'll feel if he takes over the world? He almost had complete control over the other world, only the Evil Queen was there and she had power, too so he never had-" Henry stopped in his tracks.

"Control..." He finished. Emma looked at him, waiting for him to continue speaking.

"Well, this is different." Henry said, running a hand through his hair.

"What is?" Emma asked, confused.

"We need to ask Regina for help." Henry said, nodding. Emma looked at him in disbelief.

"Uh, are you forgetting the part where she's the reason you all are here in the first place? Why the hell would she wanna help us?"

"Because she's good! Well, no she's not...but remember what she said? She said she loved me, no matter what! And Emma...love can make even the evilest of people good! She will help us! Do you really think she wants Rumpelstiltskin taking over the world?"

"Well, no! But what's to say that once he's out of the way, she won't try and take over the world herself?" Emma demanded. Henry sighed.

"Look...I've known her for ten years...lived with her. And not once has she ever mistreated me. Ever!"

"I know, Henry-"

"She's never hit me, or abused me in anyway! All she's ever done is love me! And now...now..."

And to Emma's astonishment, Henry was crying.

"Henry!"

"I feel bad, Emma! All I've ever done is be mean to her and all she's ever done is look after me..." Henry said, sighing.

"What, it took some purple clouds and some magic for you to realize this?" Emma asked, smirking. Henry looked up at her.

"Maybe that purple cloud had a love awakening spell or something, I just...I'm realizing that I do love Regina, Emma. She's my mom. And so are you. And I know that there's good in her heart...she just keeps losing everything that she loves and because of that...she keeps shutting her heart down, and stopping herself from loving. I was...I was her second chance at love and good...and I blew it..." Henry said, shaking his head in anguish. Emma shook her head and gripped his arms.

"We can still save her, Henry. We can. But first, we have to get her to save us!" Emma said. Henry nodded. They ran down the street-

And heard a loud cackle booming across the sky. Emma covered her ears in pain, then looked down at Henry.

This was way too dangerous for him.

"Emma!"

She spun around and saw Ruby and Granny running toward her.

"What's going on?"

"Okay, Ruby can you please look after Henry for me?"

"What? I'm coming with you!"

"No, Henry! It's too dangerous! Just stay here, alright? Stay with Ruby and Granny and find somewhere safe! Ruby please, don't let him out of your sight!"

"It's Red! Red Riding Hood! And don't worry, he's safe with me! But, have you seen your mom and dad? Snow and Charming?" Ruby asked, her brow furrowed in worry.

Emma gasped.

"Oh, crap."

Her parents!

Mary Margaret and David, her parents! She'd been so busy with everything else, she completely forgot!

"I...I can't think of that right now! Okay, I don't know where they are! But if you find them, keep them safe with you, okay!" Emma said. Ruby gripped her arm.

"Whatever you're doing...be careful, alright?" She said, worry in her eyes. Emma nodded, then knelt down and looked at Henry.

"Please, do whatever Ruby-I mean, Red, asks you to. Regina and I are gonna stop him, but we can't do that if you're in trouble, alright?"

Henry sighed, but nodded.

"Okay..."

"I love you." Emma kissed his forehead and hugged him tightly.

"I love you, too." He muffled against her shoulder. She let him go and smiled, then walked away toward the Mayor's house, hoping Regina would be waiting there.

* * *

"Regina!"

She opened the door to the mayor's house-

And yelled, rolling to her side as a giant fireball almost collided with her head.

She heard a loud laugh and looked up to see Regina smirking at her, a large fireball in her hands.

"Oh, I forgot how much I loved having magic!" She said, grinning as she threw another one at Emma.

Emma ducked once more and glared at Regina furiously.

"STOP! We need your help!"

Regina laughed even louder.

"And what in the hell makes you think I'm going to help you? After everything you've taken from me?" She said fiercely. Emma panted, looking up at Regina and wincing as she clutched her bruised arm.

"Because if you don't help me, Rumpelstiltskin is going to take over the world! And that won't mean anything good for Henry!"

Regina's smile faltered and tears swam in her eyes.

"Why should I care? He chose you." She said, the fire in her hand glowing hotter. Emma sighed.

"He loves you, Regina. He told me himself! And he believes that you can do good in the world! If you help me stop Rumpelstiltskin, you'll prove him right!"

Regina faltered, and slowly, the fire in her hand began to dissipate. Emma sighed.

"I'm sorry. But you brought this on yourself! You shouldn't have cast this stupid curse in the first place! But you can still fix this! Help me stop Rumpelstiltskin! Prove to Henry that there is good in your heart!"

Regina glared at her, then stepped forward, coming face to face with her.

"Let me make this clear to you, Miss Swan. All I've ever done is love Henry, with all my heart."

"I know, I-"

They heard a loud boom followed by shrieks of terror and Regina glanced outside.

"Rumpelstiltskin, I suppose?" She said, smirking. She went to walk out, but Emma gripped her hand.

"Can you defeat him? Henry...he looked really scared when he realized Rumpelstiltskin has power again." Emma said. Regina raised an eyebrow.

"Do I sense worry in your tone, Miss Swan?"

Emma rolled her eyes.

"I couldn't care less for you. I'm thinking about Henry." Emma said, her eyes narrowed in anger. Regina sighed.

"No matter what I do, Miss Swan. I'll always be the bad guy. Henry needs to realize that. Even if I save this town from a million Rumpelstiltskin's, no one will ever forgive me for what I've done."

"Don't you think they have good reason to? You locked them up in a town with no memories for twenty-eight years!" Emma growled. Regina glared at her.

"I only did it because I was heartbroken! Snow took away everything from me! The same revenge you want on me for taking everything from you? That's what I felt toward her!"

"What was so bad about your life with magical powers? What did Snow White possibly-"

Regina laughed coldly.

"My mother was an abusive witch! My father, a coward! Too afraid to speak against her! I was the only one who had the guts to say anything to her and I paid the price every single time I did! And when I had an escape...when I had someone I loved more than anything else in the entire world...he was ripped away from me! Because of your dear mother!" She shrieked. She took a deep breath, and Emma had the feeling she's been wanting to say this for years.

Emma looked at her in shock.

"You...you had a true love?" She asked. Tears escaped Regina's eyes, and she nodded.

"Yes. And because of Snow, my mother killed him." She said, her voice cracking with emotion. Emma sighed.

"Look, I'm sorry that you lost the man you love. Really, I am! But you will lose Henry if you don't stop Rumpelstiltskin! You need to show Henry that there is good in your heart! It's the only way he'll ever love you back!"

"And what makes you so sure I have good in my heart?" Regina said sarcastically.

"Because if you didn't...you would've mistreated that boy just as much as your mother mistreated you. Trust me, I've been with a foster parent before. You can tell when that foster parent loves you or not." Emma said, tears welling up in her own eyes as she remembered the years of abuse she suffered at the hands of one foster parent.

_Of course, you only suffered that because of this bitch in front of you._ She thought. Emma pushed that thought aside.

"Fine. I'll help you. But I'm only doing this for Henry."

"I know."

Regina nodded, then walked outside, Emma running out after her.

* * *

Regina ran outside, the wind picking up as Rumpelstiltskin glared at her from across the road.

"You!" He roared, throwing a fireball her way. Emma and Regina ducked and rolled out of the way.

"Rumpelstiltskin, stop!" A young woman with brown hair cried, backing into the corner.

"I'm doing this for us, Belle!" Rumpelstiltskin roared.

"So I see he found her. Dammit." Regina said, panting as they hid behind a pillar.

"Found who?"

"His true love. I may have...told him that she was dead when really I was keeping her locked up in a basement under the hospital." Regina muttered. Emma looked at her in complete disbelief.

"I'm sorry, you what?"

"Oh spare me the lecture!"

"What the hell is the matter with you?" Emma said, punching her arm angrily. Regina glared at her.

"How about we focus on the task at hand, Miss Swan!" She growled.

"Come on, your majesty! Show me just how powerful you really are!" Rumpelstiltskin called. Regina growled and jumped out from behind the pillar, thrusting her hand out. An invisible force soared toward Rumpelstiltskin and knocked him to the ground. He growled in anger and sent a car hurling their way. They ducked and hid behind another one, panting heavily.

"Where is Henry, anyway?" Regina gasped, looking around for her son.

"I left him with Ruby-I mean, Red." Emma said, shaking her head in confusion. Regina glared at her in shock and anger.

"YOU LEFT HIM WITH A WOLF!" She screamed.

"What? Ruby-I mean, Red isn't a wolf!" Emma said in shock.

"Oh, for god's sake! And you say you're what's best for Henry!" She growled, jumping up from her hiding spot and throwing a fireball at Rumpelstiltskin.

He cackled loudly.

"What is this? The Savior and the Evil Queen, banding together to stop me! And what makes you think you can?" He called out. Regina growled.

"He's getting on my last nerve."

"Well, you're the one with the power here, not me!" Emma said, peeking around the corner.

"After all I've done to help you, Emma. You go and betray me like this!" He called.

"This isn't the way to go! You can't use magic to take over the world, Gold!" She called back to him.

"Rumpelstiltskin, listen to her! Stop this!" Belle called out. He glared at her.

"Magic is power, Belle! And power is control!" He called out. Belle collapsed to the floor, crying and Emma's heart went out to the petite girl.

"Listen to me, you little imp! This world isn't yours to take over!" Regina called out. Rumpelstiltskin cackled loudly.

"You're one to talk, your majesty!" He screamed in delight.

"Oh screw this." Regina stood up, but was pulled back down by a hand. She looked up-

And saw Jefferson looking down at her.

"You! You released her, didn't you? When I asked you to kidnap her, I didn't give you permission to release her whenever you felt like it!" She growled, beating her hands against his fists. He glared at her.

"Stop it! I don't want him harming Grace! I'll help you get rid of him!"

"And how are you going to manage that?" Emma asked. Jefferson sighed and reached into the box beside him.

"Your hat? What are you gonna-"

"Banish him to another world? Yes."

Jefferson looked at Regina.

"You have to help me."

"Alright." she said immediately. She sprung up and threw a fireball at Rumpelstiltskin as Jefferson lay the hat on the ground and spun it. The hat grew wider and wider and Regina stepped back. She glanced over at Belle, who was crying her eyes out, but nodded.

"DO IT!" She gasped out. Regina sighed, guilt rearing in her chest. She lifted her hand and pulled Rumpelstiltskin forward with magic and before he could stop her, he was sucked into the hat, his screams echoing through the sky. Jefferson touched the hat and it stopped spinning, shrinking down and becoming small once more.

Belle began sobbing and Emma put an arm around her consolingly. Regina sighed.

"It's over." She said, nodding.

"MOM!" Regina and Emma turned and Henry was running toward them. Regina felt tears in her eyes and went to walk away-

Until Henry wrapped one arm around her waist, and the other around Emma's. Regina looked down in surprise and Emma smiled softly at her.

"Told you he loves you." She whispered. Regina knelt down and looked Henry in the eyes.

"Henry, I know you hate me for everything I've done, but-"

"I don't hate you. I just don't understand why you did it. But I know you have good in your heart..." He said, smiling. Regina groaned and hugged him tightly, tears falling down her cheeks.

"I do love you. Truly I do, Henry!" She whispered. He hugged her back tightly and Emma ruffled his hair.

"EMMA!"

She spun around and found Mary Margaret and David running toward her.

"EMMA!" Mary Margaret screamed. Emma ran toward her, not sure what was going on in her mind.

"I-"

She didn't have time to respond before Mary Margaret hugged her tightly, gasping for air as David wrapped his arms around the both of them.

"You saved us! You did it!" David whispered, kissing Emma's forehead. She chuckled, feeling awkward.

"Uh...still kinda getting used to the whole, 'you're my parents' thing."

David chuckled and Mary Margaret smiled.

"Oh, you're so beautiful!" She whispered, placing her hands on Emma's face. Emma smiled.

"I get it from my mom." She said, tears in her eyes. Mary Margaret hugged her again and then looked down at Regina, who was still hugging Henry tightly. Regina looked up at her and sighed.

"Snow White." She said, nodding.

"Regina." Snow said, sighing.

"I'm sorry...for what I've done. I just...you need to understand that-"

And Mary Margaret surprised her by walking forward and hugging her.

"I forgive you. I forgive you because now I know what it's like...to have your true love ripped away from you. And I'm sorry for what I did, Regina." Mary Margaret said, tears in her eyes. Regina sighed.

"It doesn't bring Daniel back. But it doesn't matter. I'll...I'll find a way to get us back...to our world. I'll work with Jefferson and...and we'll find a way." Regina said, sighing. Mary Margaret nodded, smiling.

"That would be good." She said. Regina nodded once, then walked over to Jefferson, who was hugging his daughter tightly.

"And I'll find a way to get you out of Wonderland and back into Grace's life." She said. Jefferson glared at her, then nodded.

"Deal?" He said, holding his hand out. She shook it.

"Don't worry. This one I won't break. I promise."

Emma hugged Henry as David and Mary Margaret hugged her.

Fairytales and myths.

She was a living, breathing, talking one.

And so was everyone in this town.

Her, the daughter of Snow White and Prince Charming!

She sighed in content.

Hell, she'd gladly be the daughter of anything.

As long as it meant she had a family.


End file.
